Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-02-01

We print elsewhere Commissioner Ludlows re-
marks concerning the Armory square union depot
bill II is true that The STAR has considered and
criticized only one feature OF the BILL and has not
dwelt upon its merits, except TO say that they do
not compensate for the glaring evils OF the pro-
posed location. But surely Commissioner Ludlow
has no reason To complain OF this course. The
STARS criticism has suggested the amendment not
the absolute defeat Of the bill, and as Commits
siOner Ludlow says the bill was drawn not as a
nnafty, but with the expectation that 1t would be
amended, THE STAR In advocating amendment
appears TO be carrying out unconsciously the very
purpose OF It's trainers.
Commissioner Ludlow calls attention to the fact
that one railroad, running tracks nearly to Penn
sylvania avenue, already has its station located
public ground. This privilege was granted 1t
when Washington was In the clutches Of a single
road, and needed, IL any city ever did, to favor q
competitor. But that privilege was not granted
forever. 1t was always intended to bring the two
roads together in a union depot at some time In
the future. The fact that the use Of small piece
OF public ground, out Of the line Of the main body
Of parking, was temporarily granted to the Balti-
more and Potomac road as a war measure, aimed
at the tyranny Of the Baltimore and Ohio road
furnishes no reason why at this time, when the
day OF subsidies is past whole reservation should
be cut out from the system OF public parks and
given up to railroad buildings and tracks with all
the evil results TO which The STAR has called at
tention.
Col ludlow also says that the location Of the
union depot on Armory Square is not an essential
feature OF the bill and suggests that the station
might be placed at the intersection of Maryland
and Virginia avenues, presumably on the public
ground there. Such action would place the union
depot at a convenient point, easily accessible,
within stones throw Of Armory Square, and
would preserve the continuity and harmony of
cf,f oF
avenue. But Is it an essential feature of the bill
that the union depot be located On public ground7
II seems hardly necessary. in these ant1-Subsidy
times to deprive the railroads at the seat of gov
eminent OF the glorious privilege, granted them
everywhere else, OF paying for what they get
The discovery OF plan OF the ground floor Of
The Chicago jail, where the anarchist murderers
are confined has been made the basis for theory
that the friends OF the condemned were plotting
TO blow up the building, keepers, prisoners and
all. This a far-fetched conclusion. Ii any such
plot exists, 1t is probably unknown to the con-
victS because they would be the last men In the
world TO countenanee plan for their own destruc-
ton The principle most firmly fixed in the
anarchist creed Is TO take care of ones self at the
expense Of ones nelghbors-a selfish rule which
puts suicide. even for glory's sake, quite out Of
the question
Inc report That Governor Hill, OF New York, has
been In Washington urging upon the President
the appointment Of John D. Herman to be rail-
way commissioner under the Interstate COM
merce act is pretty well disposed Of by two con-
sderations: first, that the relations between the
President and Mr.. Herman are such as to preclude
the necessity OF urging; and, second, that Mr..
Cleveland has habit Of doing one thing at time,
and not beginning to enforce a law until there Is
q law 70 enforce.
Minister PendletOn does not think that any one
In Germany wants war. That Is commonly the
case with nations which get embroiled. They do
not want TO fight, but somehow they drift into the
thing before they realize where they are Per-
haps IL Is because they are too vigorous In their
manner Of insisting upon peace.
Mr.. Reagan is forging ahead by comparison
with his competitors for the Texas senatorship
Notwithstanding the fact that the actual figures
Of bis vote are at q standstfll II he can get half
OF Gov. Helands late support, he will win the
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